Vise grips, relentless effort and a ‘big ass’: How Oscar Tshiebwe’s record-smashing rebounding has revived Kentucky
New York TimesLEXINGTON, Ky. — The hardest part for Oscar Tshiebwe being at West Virginia when he already wanted to be at Kentucky last fall was watching the Wildcats play. “It’s immeasurable, the impact that Oscar Tshiebwe has on our basketball team,” Wildcats assistant coach Chin Coleman says. Last season, which was Kentucky’s worst in almost a century, the Wildcats ranked 269th in defensive rebound percentage, 41st in offensive rebounding percentage and averaged 2.4 fewer field-goal attempts per game than opponents. He’s scoring 4.4 points per game on post-ups and shooting a solid 58.3 percent on those opportunities — up from 48.1 percent last year, per Synergy. The one difference between Tshiebwe and most centers Calipari has had is that he doesn’t block as many shots, but Kentucky is still solid in that area — 42nd in block rate — and great shot-blocking teams usually are susceptible to allowing offensive rebounds.
History of this topic
Tshiebwe’s 25 boards helps Kentucky top Providence in NCAAs
Associated Press
Arkansas exposes Kentucky basketball’s problems — which include Oscar Tshiebwe
New York Times
Tshiebwe, Wheeler miss opener for No. 4 Kentucky
Associated Press
College basketball experts predict: Who will be the national player of the year?
New York Times
Oscar Tshiebwe injury update: Star is ‘not human,’ but Kentucky will be cautious
New York Times
Kentucky’s Tshiebwe named AP men’s college player of year
Associated Press
NIL deals help Oscar Tshiebwe bring mom to the U.S. — and maybe pave way for another Kentucky season
New York Times
College basketball player of the year straw poll: Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe leads Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis
New York Times
Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe will not be boxed out: ‘If I quit now, I’m quitting on my family’
New York TimesDiscover Related
